INTRODUCING 
537 
queen under it. If it is not pushed in too 
deep, the bees will usually release her in 
36 to 48 hours by gnawing under or tun¬ 
neling under the wire cloth. Reports of 
this method of introducing have been uni¬ 
formly favorable, and one reason for this 
is due to the fact that the queen has imme¬ 
diate access to cells of honey; and if she 
should lay a few eggs in the comb before 
she is released she will have the odor of a 
laying queen, and this odor is one of the 
elements that go to make up successful 
introduction. 
Some years ago a prominent queen- 
breeder offered to replace all queens that 
he sent thru the mails, provided this plan 
of introduction were followed. He report- 
that it was so successful that he scarcely 
ever had to replace a queen; and he be- 
Cage pushed into the comb, showing the manner of 
introducing the confined queen. 
lievecl that these replacements were due 
mainly to the fact that the recipient failed 
to carry out his instructions. 
But one difficulty with a plan like this 
is that not every one will have on hand the 
proper material nor have the necessary 
skill for making up a cage of this sort. 
Another and more serious difficulty is the 
problem of getting the queen transferred 
from the mailing-cage to the introdueing- 
cage pushed in the comb, without injuring 
her or allowing her to get away during the 
process. Another difficulty is that some 
push the cage into the comb so far that the 
bees fail to release her, altho in such cases 
no harm results, because the apiarist can 
remove the cage and release her. 
THE SMITH INTRODUCING CAGE. 
This cage is a great improvement over 
the one just described, without its objec¬ 
tions. As devised by Jay Smith of Vin¬ 
cennes, Ind., it consists of a framework of 
wood about 3x4 inches, covered on one 
side with wire cloth, the other side or edge 
having a series of teeth. The two side 
pieces project a short distance beyond the 
cross-piece in the end. In operation the 
teeth are pushed clear down into a piece of 
old comb containing some empty cells, cells 
of honey, and perhaps a little sealed brood, 
the two prongs or projections pointing up¬ 
ward. (If a new comb is used the cage 
will have to be held with a rubber band.) 
The mailing-cage containing the queen to 
be introduced is slipped down between the 
prongs in such a way that the hole of the 
Method of crowding the Smith cage on the comb. 
cage matches the hole of the other, as shown 
in the illustration. This overcomes the dif¬ 
ficulty of getting the queen caged on the 
comb. 
